Mind Games
by pelena
Summary: Have you ever been so engrossed in something that you paid no attention to anything else? Probably you have - most people are prone to shutting the outer world out under some circumstances among which can be a physics test Joe Hardy happened to have one d


Chapter 1  
  
Have you ever been so engrossed in something that you paid no attention to anything else? Probably you have - people are prone to shut the outer world out under some circumstances amongst which can be a physics test Joe Hardy happened to have one day. Concentrated on getting nothing less but an A, he was searching the depths of his mind for the answers of his test, while his mind was searching for something to play with him.  
  
Joe answered all the questions but one which was about two colliding objects of different masses. Joe mentally pictured two iron balls of various sizes and was about to have them collided when his thoughts were interrupted by a muffled noise coming from behind. As he turned around, he saw one of his classmates, Daniel Norton, rise from his seat and start towards the exit of the classroom.  
  
A bit taken aback by his actions, Joe looked into his face and froze. Daniel's face was absolutely emotionless and his glazed eyes were looking straight in front of him as he slowly walked down the passage between students' desks.  
  
What seemed even stranger was the fact that no one, except Joe, seemed to be interested in why a student had suddenly decided to leave the classroom in the middle of the lesson without informing the teacher of his intention.  
  
Joe was about to ask Daniel, but their teacher was quicker. "Farewell, Mr. Norton," Mr. Mason said in a monotone voice, never looking up from the book he was reading. Joe's mouth dropped open. Never would Mr. Mason let a student go without knowing the reason!  
  
Feeling that something very odd was going on, Joe silently followed Daniel with his eyes. But just then his classmate suddenly stopped behind the teacher and spun on his heels, his face straight, his eyes on one point somewhere in the class.  
  
Joe didn't have time to try and see what or who he was gazing at when his oddly acting classmate started to raise his hand. For a brief second it seemed to Joe that Daniel's hand had been pressed against some kind of a glass wall as his palm turned slightly whiter, but before Joe could understand if it was so or no, Daniel's hand turned a healthy shade of pink again and moved further.  
  
As if fascinated, Joe watched his movements with great interest. Daniel was still staring at something and then made a gesture as if he was inviting someone to follow him. Daniel beckoned someone of the class, probably, that someone he kept gazing at, to him.  
  
Joe turned his head to see who it was, but suddenly saw the stout figure of his physics teacher, which was blocking the view.  
  
"Mr. Hardy, why are you looking aside? Have you finished?" he sternly asked.  
  
He was there! Rushed through Joe's mind as he looked at the empty teacher's desk. And where is Daniel? Baffled, he turned around and to his astonishment saw his classmate, sitting behind him and looking quizzically at him.  
  
"Mr. Hardy, are you all right?" the teacher repeated.  
  
Totally confused, Joe nodded his head. "I'm sorry," he muttered and lowered his head over his papers, feeling like an idiot for taking his reverie for reality.  
  
He composed himself and pushed his mind off everything else but the papers in front of him. He completed the task by answering that the smaller object will be pushed away for 3 feet after being hit by the bigger object just before the bell rang, announcing the end of the lesson.  
  
Joe gave his paper to the teacher and hurriedly left the classroom. It was lunchtime and he couldn't wait to join his friends at lunch which they had decided to have outside. It was mid-September and the weather disposed the teens to enjoy one of the last warm and sunny days.  
  
Cheerfully greeted by everyone, Joe completely forgot about his strange dream and was having fun with his brother and their friends on the lawn near the school's parking lot when the calming sounds of the autumn day were shattered by the piercing sound of squeaking tyres. The next moment they all heard a muffled sound which was followed by screams from the people in the parking lot who started running towards one car which had abruptly stopped for an unknown reason.  
  
"What on earth happened?" Frank frowned and arose from his place to see. His eyes went wide, "Oh man, someone was run over!" with that, he darted off to the car, everyone else on his heels.  
  
Joe's legs gave way under him and his heart stopped beating in his chest as he recognised the hit student. It was Daniel Norton, he lay on the ground, 3 feet away from the car, his glazed and unblinking eyes wide open and his hand was curved in the gesture Joe had seen in his reverie.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Joe gasped as he saw that. He put a shaking hand over his mouth, fear creeping all over him. What did it all mean? Was his eerie dream coming true? Daniel's face, his hand, his answer about 2 colliding objects... Unable to do stand there and see it all, he abruptly spun on his heels and stormed out of the parking lot, to everyone's astonishment.  
  
"What's with him?" Tony Prito asked, frowning as he followed Joe with his eyes.  
  
"I've no idea," Frank replied perplexingly, knitting his eyebrows. "I'll go ask him."  
  
Upon saying that he started after his brother who had disappeared in the school. Wondering what could be wrong with him, Frank quickened his pace. Once in the building, he had to stop and look around. There were a lot of students around and Joe was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Hey, Frank, looking for somebody?" Phil Cohen's voice asked him from behind.  
  
"Oh, hi, Phil, have you seen Joe?" Frank asked his friend.  
  
"Yep, he was hurrying in that direction," Phil nodded in the direction of the corridor. "What happened?"  
  
"That's what I want to know. Thanks, buddy," Frank said and went to look for Joe. While passing the corridor, he was looking into the windows of the classrooms, but Joe was not in any of them, so, Frank decided, he must be in a rest room that was in the back of the corridor.  
  
Just as he entered, he saw his brother standing near a sink and vehemently splashing cold water over his ashen face.  
  
"Joe, what's wrong?" Frank asked worriedly, coming to him. "Are you ok?"  
  
Joe turned the water off and nodded, "I'm fine, don't worry."  
  
"You don't look too well," Frank remarked. "Why did you run away?"  
  
"I...." Joe licked his lips as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. "I just kind of don't like to see people I know like-like that," he swallowed. Then he turned to look at his elder brother. "Is Daniel...?" he couldn't say that word.  
  
"I-I don't know, but looks like it..." Frank replied, feeling awkwardly. "This is so terrible, isn't it?" he asked quietly. "I mean, we didn't know each other too well, but... But what is there to say?"  
  
"Frank, I..." Joe started, but then closed his mouth, not knowing if he could tell Frank about his eerie dream. Sighing, he lowered his head and put his face into his hands.  
  
"Frank, you..." Frank coaxed him. When Joe didn't even more, he put a hand on his shoulders. "Joe, what's up? Has something happened?.. You know you can tell me, don't you?"  
  
"Good question," Joe bitterly chuckled. "You'll think I'm nuts. " "No, I won't," Frank assured him.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"You can't be even crazier than you already are," Frank smiled at him.  
  
"Yeah, but this time it's worse than you think. I really am going insane."  
  
"Really going insane?" Frank pretended to be shocked by the news.  
  
"Frank, I'm serious.... I'm-I'm seeing things," Joe gloomily replied.  
  
"Seeing things?" Frank raised his eyebrows in surprise, "What kind of things?"  
  
Joe didn't reply. He swallowed at the memory of his experience. What was he supposed to tell Frank if he didn't know himself how to interpret his dream? What was it? Was it prophesying what would happen to Daniel? Could he stop it?  
  
"Joe?" Frank asked, he was starting to worry about his brother. "Joe, what happened?"  
  
Over a lump in his throat, Joe managed, "I kind of knew what would happen to Daniel." Before Frank could let it sink in, Joe started to tell him everything about what he had seen and the problem in the test and the answer. "...And then it all came true! Frank, I don't know what it was, but, but it. but it scares me. I just can't get that picture of Daniel's piercing stare at someone, his hand off my mind.... Frank, what is happening with me?"  
  
Frank was staring at him, his mouth opened. "Well..." he finally said moments later. "Search me, but I've no idea what is happening with you. Do you feel alright? Maybe you have overworked...."  
  
"No, I was perfectly fine till that lesson," Joe replied.  
  
"Then it must be just your imagination. If you want my opinion, the only thing you can do for yourself now is relax and forget about it."  
  
"Forget about it??" Joe exclaimed. "My classmate was killed and I almost knew it would happen. And you tell me to relax and forget about it?!"  
  
Frank opened his mouth to reply when the door to the restroom opened and the brothers saw a student come in. Joe turned the water on and started to splash it on his pale face. By the time he felt more or less better, the student had already left them tête-à-tête.  
  
"Joe, don't get me wrong," Frank continued, "but I don't think you're becoming a soothsayer..."  
  
"But what was it?"  
  
"Just your imagination."  
  
"But, but..." Joe opened and closed his mouth several times, searching for words. "But why did it come true if it was only my imagination?"  
  
"Probably, it's just a bad coincidence," Frank suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "Such things sometimes happen and you can't explain it... What are you having now?"  
  
"Español," Joe sighed.  
  
"Bien. Just go there and try to enjoy your lesson," Frank told his brother as he places his hands on both of Joe's shoulders.  
  
"Frank, you don't understand! What if..."  
  
"Joe, tell me, do you really believe your reverie was a "predestination" sent from above?"  
  
"I...I don't know..." Joe bubbled, confused. "I just can't forget the look in his eyes and that gesture and the way he was looking at someone and..."  
  
"Joe, it was nothing but a bad dream," Frank stopped him. "Accept it and draw a moral from it: don't sleep during your classes."  
  
"Frank, I didn't sleep!" Joe argued, feeling a bit annoyed with his brother. "It all just came out of nothing, like a bolt from the bleu, like...."  
  
"Joe, don't get wound up!" Frank interrupted him. "Do you understand what I say? Whatever it was, it's in the past and there's no point in thinking about it constantly, trying to understand what it meant. It meant nothing, you just dreamed it all up. "  
  
Joe was silent for some moments, collecting his many troubled thoughts. "I guess you're right," he finally said, sighing. But deep inside he still didn't think so.  
  
"Of course, I am," Frank smiled at him. "Now, the break's almost over, so it's time to go. I'm having chemistry now, we're going to have a practical training on methane today!" he proudly announced.  
  
Joe sneered, "Oh I envy you so much!"  
  
"I'm sure you do," Frank retorted.  
  
"And we're having a dictation today..." Joe wrinkled his nose, walking to the door.  
  
"Suerte," Frank said as he walked out into the corridor. "Nos veremos mas tarde."  
  
Joe rolled his eyes at his smart brother and headed to his own classroom, pretending to be calm, but inside feeling no better.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The lesson was going in complete silence, students were too shocked by the oppressive absence of their classmate to protest against the dictation their teacher had planned for them. Mrs. Soto was reading different sentences in English and the students had to translate them into Spanish.  
  
Secretly, Joe was glad to get his mind off everything and make himself too busy to pay any attention to the awkward silence, disturbed only by Mrs. Soto's quiet and soothing voice, which was reigning in the classroom.  
  
"He comes downstairs," Mrs. Soto said the next sentence.  
  
Before he was able to translate it in his own head, he heard a low voice coming from the front, "Èl va abajo," someone said.  
  
His hair standing on end, Joe raised his head to see the speaker and next moment his mouth dropped open. Daniel Norton was there, standing behind Ms. Soto's desk, his glazed eyes staring at someone in the class again.  
  
Feeling his throat getting parched with anxiety, Joe turned his head to see who it was and his heart sank. It was Biff Hooper.  
  
"Él va abajo," Daniel said again, his eyes on Biff who was busy writing something in his copybook. "Él va abajo," he said louder and this time Biff looked up and, to Joe's utter horror, stood up from his seat.  
  
"Biff, what are you doing?" Joe asked hoarsely as he watched his friend go to Daniel, whose hand was reached out in a welcoming gesture. "Biff, don't do it!!" But Biff seemed to not have heard him. He reached out his hand too, ready to let Daniel take it and lead him to wherever he had come from. While Joe was staring pop-eyed at them, he suddenly noticed something - a reflection of a window that seemed to be just hanging in the air behind the teacher's desk. This can't be true! It must reflect from something.. An invisible wall?? Swallowing hard, Joe remembered the previous lesson when he thought he had seen Daniel's hand touch something. Was he talking Biff with him now? Gosh, what is happening here?? Biff, stop!!.  
  
"Él va abajo.."  
  
Biff's hand was inches from Daniel. "STOP IT!!" Joe shouted, squeezing his eyes shut, unable to see it anymore. He knew that if he saw it Biff would be in big trouble soon. "Stop it right now!" "Stop what, Joe?" Ms. Soto asked perplexingly.  
  
Joe opened his eyes and saw all students' eyes on him. He looked round the classroom. Just like an hour ago, Daniel was nowhere to be seen and Biff was sitting at his desk, a worried expression on his face. "Joe, you ok?" he asked his friend.  
  
I'm mad! I'm totally mad!! Joe thought, trembling with sudden angst. All around him were people, looking at him as he was indeed crazy. Of course, none of them saw Daniel, of course, Frank was right, it was my imagination, my sick head.  
  
"Joe?" Mrs. Soto asked worriedly. "Are you ok? Do you feel fine?"  
  
Joe shot a glance at her table, hoping to see Daniel behind it and to hear everyone say, "Look! It's Daniel! He's there!". But no one stood there and no reflection hung in the air.  
  
"Joe?" he heard Biff ask again. He turned to look at his concerned face, glad to see him safe and sound, but worried about his possible future. Biff snapped his fingers in front of his face to get him out of his trance, "Joe? What's wrong?"  
  
Joe suddenly felt his cheeks burn in shame as he was brought back to reality. "I'm sorry," he said quietly to the teacher, hoping to see a huge black hole nearby so he could jump into it to avoid everyone's derisive or concerned glances. "I didn't mean to.. to..." he nervously licked his parched lips. "Sorry."  
  
"Never mind," Mrs. Soto nodded rather reluctantly and continued the lesson. "Next sentence...."  
  
Joe caught Biff's worried stare. He waved his hand as if saying he was alright, but truth was that he was not.  
  
~~  
  
"Hey, Joe, wait!" Biff caught up with his swiftly running away from the classroom friend. "What was it all about?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Joe dully asked, never looking at him and continuing his way to the third floor for his next class.  
  
"About what happened during the lesson?" Biff said, smiling at him. "First you tell me "not to do it", then you shout "stop it". At first I thought you told Soto to stop - that was exactly what most of us wanted!"  
  
Joe forced a wan smile, "Let it be this way, then," he said, coming to the stairs and starting downstairs. "Please, don't ask me about anything.." he almost begged his friend.  
  
"What hap...." suddenly Biff stopped as he stumbled over something.  
  
"Él va abajo," echoed in Joe's head. Before he could do something.. "Ouch!" was all Biff Hooper exclaimed before starting to fall from the stairs!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Biff!!" Joe exclaimed, grabbing his falling friend by the collar of his T- shirt to hold him steady. Biff swayed a little, but kept his balance. "Phew, almost got myself killed," he chuckled, relieved. "Thanks, buddy, if it weren't for you I'd already be down there!" he pointed at the bottom of the staircase and smiled gratefully at Joe whose eyes were wide open in shock.  
  
"I need to find Frank!" he managed over a lump in his throat. "Now!"  
  
Without saying anything else, he stormed off, thrusting his way through people. Not knowing why, he, as usual, ran to Frank for help. To keep it inside was impossible and there was nobody else he could rely on right now.  
  
Frank was standing near his locker, gaily chatting with his girlfriend, Callie Shaw. Not wanting to interrupt them, but needing his brother desperately, Joe ran to him and grabbed his arm, "Frank, I need to talk to you," he blurted out. "This is becoming very serious!"  
  
Callie shot him a mischievous look and grabbed Frank's right arm, "Can't you see he's with me?"  
  
"Can't you see I need him?" Joe retorted, pulling his brother's left arm.  
  
Frank felt as he was between the devil and the deep Bleu Sea. "Stop it!" he said, freeing his arms. "Joe, what is it?"  
  
"It's about what I told you earlier, remember?" Joe replied, swallowing hard. "It got worse!"  
  
Frank knitted his eyebrows, "Don't tell me you saw him again!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Callie narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. "Another mystery?"  
  
Joe looked pleadingly at his brother, "Frank, I'm at a loss! I don't know what is happening and I don't know why I'm asking you about it, but.."  
  
"Frank, what is he talking about?" Callie looked at her boyfriend's face.  
  
"Erm, hon, I'll talk to you later, ok?" Frank said, knowing that Joe needed him more at the moment. Callie opened her mouth to object, but Frank quickly kissed her on the lips, "I'll treat you to a very nice dinner later this evening!" he murmured into her ear and grinned at her.  
  
Callie pursed her lips together, but walked off, leaving the brothers alone. Joe, stammering, told him about his second dream and how Biff had almost ended up "abajo".  
  
When he had finished, Frank looked at him, concerned. Whatever it was, Joe, even if he didn't want to confess it, was scared, "So you're saying he was starting to look aside. At who?"  
  
Joe nervously rubbed his face, "I am not sure," he said slowly, "but...but it seemed to me..."  
  
"Who, Joe?" Frank pressed him.  
  
"It seemed to me that he was about to look at... at me," he said quietly, looking up at Frank who stood silent. "Frank, what if..."  
  
"There can be no ifs!" Frank interrupted him, not knowing what to say to him to make him feel better. "There's no proof he wanted to look at you and..."  
  
"What if he appears again during the next lesson? What stops him? Or rather what stops me from seeing him again?" Joe asked him. "And what if he tells me the way I'm gonna die today?"  
  
"Nonsense!" his brother stopped him. "Whatever it is, it's just...I don't know what it is, but you can't let it scare you, ok?"  
  
"Frank, can't you see what's happening? First I see him and then he gets run over, then I see Biff with him and he almost falls down the stairs..."  
  
"See, you said it yourself! Almost!"  
  
"Frank..."  
  
"Joe, cool down, ok? I don't know what it is but we have to calm down and think straight... How many classes do you have?"  
  
"Only economics now."  
  
"Listen, I'm not Mom or Dad, I can't give you permission to skip the last class, so you'll have to be patient for more 45 minutes, ok? I don't know what you want to hear, but there's nothing else I can say to you but please calm down and don't take it to heart."  
  
"Frank, what if he comes back again?" Joe raised his terrified eyes at him. "No, better tell me, what does it all mean?"  
  
"I have no idea what it means, but," Frank couldn't believe he was going to say it seriously. "But if he does come back, listen to what he says and be careful."  
  
Joe bitterly chuckled, "Thanks, big bro, that's exactly what I needed to hear!"  
  
Frank put a comforting arm around his shoulders, "Look, Joe, this is the last class, after that I'll take you...."  
  
"To a nuthouse?" Joe interrupted him.  
  
"No, home. Let's hope Daniel won't poke his nose in there."  
  
"And if he does?"  
  
"Then I'll surely take you to a nuthouse then," Frank promised him.  
  
"Sometimes I hate you," Joe mumbled, getting his arm off his shoulders. "Thanks for sympathy."  
  
"Go learn how to count money. And don't let your craziness haunt you, ok?"  
  
"I'll do my best, though I think it will be a long time until it stops haunting me," Joe sighed and shook his head. "Gosh, I'm so tired of it!. Want me to tell Daniel 'hi' on your behalf?"  
  
Frank grinned sarcastically, "Of course! And invite him to visit our house and have dinner with us tonight, please."  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Joe silently thanked God for keeping Daniel away from him throughout the whole lesson, which was dedicated to gigantic corporations. Not that the topic was very involving, but the teacher was able to get Joe thinking about it and not the strange day he was having today, so by the end of the lesson he felt almost relaxed and relieved for Daniel not coming again.  
  
What he wanted at the moment was to go home and rest for some time, maybe Frank was right and he did overwork himself - his head was aching badly.  
  
"Now, homework for you," the teacher, Mrs. Sanders said moments before the bell. "Think about the latest series of bankruptcies of mega-corporations - "Worldcom", "Enron", "Adelphia" and..."  
  
Joe didn't hear the rest of the list as a sudden whisper gave him the creeps for the third time this day, "Think about the fall of "Adelphia"..." came from the front.  
  
Joe squeezed his eyes tightly shut, I'm not going to see him, I am not going to see him, I am not.. Get away from me, you're only my imagination, you're not there, you're just messing with my brain, it's only my sick imagination.  
  
"You've got to think about it," Daniel's voice said clearly, disproving his thoughts.  
  
"Stop it, stop it, stop it...." Joe silently begged, his eyes still closed. "Stop it and leave me alone."  
  
"The fall of "Adelphia", Joe..."  
  
Joe??? Joe froze in terror. He's talking to me! Hell's bells!!! I'm gonna die, he's gonna take me with him, this isn't my imagination, he must be standing there, staring at insane me.. To prove himself of that, Joe opened his eyes and next moment he knew he was paralysed by the piercing stare of Daniel's cold, glazed grey eyes.  
  
"The fall of "Adelphia"..." Daniel said again, looking straight into the horrified teen's eyes. "Think about it before it's.." The rest of it was deafened by the bell.  
  
Joe blinked his eyes and when he opened them again Daniel, as expected, was gone and everyone was leaving the classroom.  
  
Joe exhaustedly leaned forward until his covered in cold sweat forehead touched the surface of the desk. He could feel his heart beating like mad and his head was threatening to explode. What wouldn't he give away to forget about everything and fall into the arms of unconsciousness just to get away from it all!  
  
Someone tapped him on a shoulder and he slowly opened his weary eyes at the disturber. "Joe, are you sure you're ok? You look jumpy today," Chet Morton asked his friend, concern in his voice. "You don't look too good, you know."  
  
"I know, Chet, I know," Joe quietly replied and sat upright. He rubbed his eyes with his hands. "It's been a difficult day, that's all."  
  
Joe slowly collected his books and put them in his backpack. Sighing as he glanced at where Daniel had been and seeing no one there, he stood up and walked out of the classroom. Chet only shook his head as he watched him go.  
  
~~  
  
10 minutes later the brothers were in their van, riding back home.  
  
"The fall of "Adelphia"?" Frank re-asked, watching the road closely. Now that Joe had told him about another Daniel's coming he had doubts about the fact that it was only Joe's imagination. There should have been something behind it all - something inexplicable which they must pay heed to, no matter how ridiculous and strange it seemed to Frank who never believed in such things. "And what can it mean?"  
  
"You ask me?" Joe asked derisively. "Well, from what Mrs. Sanders told us the only things I know about it is that it is one of the biggest companies in America which got mixed up in financial machinations."  
  
"Yeah, I know, but it can't be this simple, can it?" Frank mused, scratching his forehead. "First you solve that problem and Daniel gets hit by a car, then you hear him say about someone coming downstairs and Biff almost falls down the stairs. Now you have to think about the bankruptcy of that corporation.."  
  
"And you think he meant that someone was in danger again?" Joe asked. "Me, to be more precise? Because he talked to me."  
  
Frank sighed, "Yes, that's what I think.. But Biff is fine," he argued with himself. "Because you knew what that sentence meant. So, the question you need to answer is what 'the fall of "Adelphia"' means."  
  
"Ok, genius, how am I supposed to do that?" Joe asked, feeling even more than awkwardly. To know that your life depends on such a thing was even worse than knowing your life was in danger.  
  
"When we get home you'll have to search the Internet and see what you can find on that company and make conclusions," Frank suggested.  
  
"I'll have to?" Joe raised his eyebrows, hardly believing his ears. "Won't you help me?"  
  
"You know that I promised Callie to take her out," Frank smiled both sheepishly and apologetically. "We're going to that Italian restaurant called "La Costoletta"."  
  
"Frank, you can't do this to me!" Joe was shocked. "Are you really going to leave me alone when I need you so much?"  
  
"Joe, I'm not leaving you alone, for God's sake! Mom and Dad are at home after all, they won't let anything happen to you. I'm just keeping my promise to Callie," Frank argued.  
  
"You can always do it tomorrow!"  
  
"No, in fact I should have done it yesterday."  
  
"Frank." Joe opened and closed his mouth several times, unable to collect all his thoughts to put them into a sentence.  
  
"Joe, I don't know what else I can do for you. You must understand that Callie is important to me, too," Frank said, pulling into the driveway of their house and stopping the car.  
  
"Yeah, right, she is more important to you when I need you the most," Joe replied in a betrayed voice as he climbed out and went to the front door.  
  
"Joe, don't be so selfish!" Frank said, getting annoyed with him. "What do you want from me? You don't even know what your problem is and you want me to break my promise and to stay at home and try to help you with something you imagined."  
  
"Imagined??" Joe re-asked, turning to him, his eyes wide open in shock. "You say I imagined it?"  
  
"And what did you do?" Frank asked back, shutting the door of the van. "Or do you want to tell me that Daniel got out of the morgue, went to school to communicate with you, but no one else saw it?"  
  
"Are you telling me that I'm abnormal??!"  
  
"I am not, but. but why should I believe it was real?"  
  
"You know what, Frank?" Joe looked him in the eyes as he pointed his index finger at his brother's chest. "Go to that date with her and forget everything I told you," with that he opened the front door and walked in.  
  
"Oh, thank you for your permission," Frank said to Joe's back.  
  
Instead of an answer he only heard the door slam shut right in front of his nose.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Even though he tried to act like normal, Frank still couldn't fully concentrate on his conversation with Callie that he was having while driving his mother's car to the restaurant. The argument he had had with Joe and his problem wouldn't let him relax and enjoy her company. He only hoped Callie wouldn't notice. Wrong.  
  
"Frank, what's with you today?" Callie finally asked, tired of Frank's inattention. "Are you up in the clouds or here with me? Don't you want to be with me tonight?"  
  
"No, no, of course, no!" he hurried to assure her. "It's nothing serious. There's just one little problem and I can't stop thinking about it. Sorry."  
  
"Joe again?" Callie asked, her voice monotone.  
  
"Two problems then."  
  
"Ok, what's the other problem?"  
  
Frank didn't know if he could tell her about Joe's dreams, Joe had relied on him. But what stopped him from asking only one question without bringing the subject of Joe up? "Callie, what do you think "the fall of "Adelphia" can mean?"  
  
She raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Many things actually. Let's see, "the fall" can mean "dropping from an upright position", "collapsing to the ground", "the loss of power or status".um, what else? "a capture", "autumn", "becoming less in number".."  
  
"Ok, ok, I got the idea," Frank stopped her. "But what about "Adelphia"?"  
  
"It's a Greek word."  
  
Frank was all ears now, "And what does it mean?"  
  
"Brothers."  
  
"What???" he shrieked, hitting the brake pedal. "Brothers??"  
  
"Frank, what's with you?" Callie asked, taken aback by his actions. "Yes, that's what it means and so what?"  
  
Will Joe fall down and hurt himself badly? Or will he be captured? No, brother-s, it's plural. Become less in number of brothers? Was it the answer to Daniel's riddle? Was Joe going to die tonight?  
  
"Callie, we're not going anywhere!" he stated firmly, taking a U-turn. There was no way he could have a good time with Callie knowing that Joe was in danger.  
  
"What?? Again? Frank, we're almost there!" she argued, pointing at the building of the restaurant that was already seen in the distance. "What on earth happened again?" she demanded.  
  
"It's a long story, but trust me, it'd better if we.."  
  
"Better for whom? For Joe? Is he your problem? Of course, he is more important to you when you promised me a date!"  
  
Frank couldn't help but chuckle, "He said the same thing about you," but then his face became serious again. "Please, Callie, you have to forgive me."  
  
"What the hell happened again?" she asked sorely, her arms folded across the chest.  
  
"I can't tell you. Not now. Later, but not now, ok?" he said, heading back home. "Please, don't be mad at me."  
  
"Drop me off at home, Frank," Callie said, pursing her lips. She wouldn't talk to him anymore.  
  
~~  
  
He arrived home 20 minutes later, feeling more stupid than ever - to break off his date because he was worried for his brother who had imagined something which could mean nothing at all. Just as he entered, he saw his mother's surprised face, "Frank, why so early? Everything ok?"  
  
"Nothing serious," he avoided giving her a direct answer. "Where's Joe?"  
  
"In the living room, watching TV. Frank, was he ok today?" Laura asked her elder son worriedly. "He looks so worn out."  
  
"It was a difficult day for him," he replied, glancing into the living room and seeing his brother's feet on an arm of the sofa and a working TV set. "Is he ok now?" Frank asked.  
  
Laura shrugged her shoulders, "Half an hour ago he came to me and asked for a pill of aspirin, he's been lying on the sofa in the den since then."  
  
"Okay," Frank nodded. "I'll go talk to him." With that he went to the living room and knocked on the doorframe. "Hey, mind if I join you?" he meekly asked his brother.  
  
Joe raised on his elbows and turned his head to look into his direction, surprised to see him back, "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to enjoy this evening with Callie," he said dully, still offended at what Frank had told him earlier.  
  
"Let's say I changed my mind," Frank replied and came to sit on the sofa. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Do you care?" Joe asked, hurt in his voice.  
  
"Truth is I do," his brother replied sincerely. "You know, I just couldn't stop thinking about today's happenings.. Why I'm back is that I was worried about you. Really. We were on our way to the restaurant when I asked Callie what "the fall of "Adelphia" might mean."  
  
"And what did she say? That I should be in a mental home?"  
  
"No, she doesn't know why I was so interested. Anyway, what she answered - roughly speaking, it means "the change of number of brothers". So I. so I decided to go home."  
  
"Expecting to see my cold corpse here?" Joe smirked.  
  
"No, on the contrary - hoping not to see it," Frank wanly smiled. "Joe, I don't know what it all means, but.but considering everything that happened today, I thought it'd be better not to risk."  
  
"I reckon Callie wasn't very happy about your decision, was she? What did she say?"  
  
"Nothing at all," Frank sighed. "She refused to talk to me.. I guess I'll have to go broke begging her for forgiveness now."  
  
"Maybe you shouldn't have declined the date?" Joe asked, feeling for his brother. "I gave our "misunderstanding" a lot of thought and realised that I shouldn't have tried to make you baby-sit me. Sorry, I was wrong."  
  
Frank waved his hand, his eyes on the TV set, "Does it matter now? We can't be on good terms forever. Sometimes it's necessary to fall out to refresh our relationship, besides.. What is it??" he suddenly asked, grabbing the remote control and increasing the volume.  
  
Joe looked at the screen to see what could so suddenly draw his brother's attention. Instantly he sat upright. There, on the screen was a picture of a burning and smoking ruined building and the news bar announced, "Explosion in "La Costoletta".  
  
Frank's mouth dropped open, "Joe.That's where.. That's where I and Callie were going!" he managed, barely able to breathe, watching firemen trying to extinguish the fire and paramedics carrying badly injured people to ambulances.  
  
Joe looked at the screen, seething with terror. If Frank had been there.. Without saying anything he threw his arms around his brother, "Oh man, Frank.." he whispered, clinging close to him. "I could.I could lose you.." he managed, shaking with dread.  
  
Frank was too shocked to reply.  
  
~~  
  
Later that evening, when it was already past midnight, Joe lay in his bed, thinking about the day's happenings. Neither did he know what it was nor did he want to know it. He only wished there was another way to warn him of the fact that Frank's life was in great danger, because now that it was in the past, he felt absolutely shattered, both physically and emotionally.  
  
Wondering if Daniel would ever come to him again, Joe turned onto his right side and stared out of the window, at the clear night starry sky.  
  
Many years ago, when he and Frank were still children, their grandmother told them a short story. "When a person passes away, he becomes a little star in the sky and lives there forever. And if one night you look above and see a star which smiles down on you, it means that someone whom you loved, but who died, is still sending his love to you through space and time."  
  
Joe wondered if there was now Daniel's star among millions of those he was seeing. They all looked the same - some brighter, some dimmer. So incredible, he sleepily thought, many of those stars don't exist anymore, they died millions years ago, but still their light comes to us and we still think they're somewhere very far away, however all that's left of them is billions of pieces that fly through the Universe. Just like people.When they're not with us anymore we still see them as if they were still alive, however they're not.. Did I really see it all? Or was it only my imagination?.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by a rustle. His heart going pit-a-pat, he glanced at the door of the adjoining bathroom, afraid to see Daniel's ghost there again. But it was Frank and Joe breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Frank, what's up?" he asked, sitting up in his bed.  
  
"Nothing, I just." his brother went to sit on the edge of his bed. "I just thought I hadn't even thanked you. It may sound weird, considering everything, but you saved my life." "I didn't," Joe shook his head. "Daniel did."  
  
"But if you didn't tell me.." Frank inwardly shuddered at that thought. "Did he come again?"  
  
"So do you believe me now?"  
  
"After everything - I guess I do," Frank chuckled. "So, did he come to you again?"  
  
"He didn't," Joe said and looked down at his blanket, "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for him "warning" me. But, between us, the last thing I want is to see him again."  
  
"I understand," Frank smiled at him. "You know what bugs me? Why did he have to come to you? Why couldn't he come to me and say 'you're gonna get blown into pieces tonight in that restaurant'?"  
  
Joe shrugged his shoulders, "Don't ask me questions I can't answer."  
  
They sat in silence for a minute of so, both trapped in his own thoughts. "You alright?" Frank finally asked.  
  
"Only worn out, but other than that, I'm fine," Joe replied. "I think," he added, yawning.  
  
"Ok, sleep then, you need it," Frank stood up. "Erm, one more thing. Forgive my "outburst", I don't know what came over me, I really didn't think for a moment that you were crazy."  
  
"Never mind," Joe said and yawned. "Good night, big bro."  
  
"Night, Joe."  
  
Frank left and Joe laid back, covering himself with the blanket. His eyes already closing, he shot the last glance at the night sky - and thought one little star winked at him. Not bothering to think if it was Daniel or anyone else of his long-dead relatives or friends, he shut his eyes and fell asleep.  
  
Daniel Norton never came to him again.  
  
THE END. 


End file.
